September is National Preparedness Month

Sept. 11, 2015 marked the 14th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, a tragic event that shook many Americans to their core. In addition to showing our ability to come together, both nationally and in smaller communities, the attacks identified the need for better preparedness for disasters of all kinds.

September is now National Preparedness Month, which is designed to raise awareness about the need for communities to prepare for natural and manmade disasters.

This year, Sept. 1-5 focused on floods. Sept. 6-12 focused on wildfires. The week of Sept. 13-19 was dedicated to hurricanes. Sept. 20-26 focuses on power outages. The final days of the month lead up to National PrepareAthon Day on September 30. The goal is to help community members be more aware of potential disasters where they live, offer safety tips, provide checklists to increase their preparedness and equip them to work with their community to achieve improved local resilience planning.

The exterior of a BLU-MED XP Response Package Hospital Shelter. Each hospital comes with a built-in electrical system, lighting, HVAC system, and a trailer-mounted power generator allowing for reliable operation anywhere worldwide.

When a disaster strikes, communities must be prepared. Planning for disaster response is vital to minimizing casualties and injuries to victims, reducing potential for property damage and loss of belongings and speeding up recovery. Local agencies and community organizations should always have a plan in place for potential disaster situations.

Follow the events of National Preparedness Month on Twitter, using the hashtag #NatlPrep. For more ideas on how to prepare your family for a disaster, check out the American Red Cross’ steps to create a family game plan.